Process of recovering soakage from barrels, casks, &amp;c.



W. MILLER. PROCESS OF RECOVERING SOAKAGE FROM BARRELS, OASKS, 6w.

APPLIJATION FILED JAN. 7, 1909.

Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

[III/III w vbvmowo WILLIAM MILLER, OF WESTFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

PROCESS OF RECOVER-ING- SOAKAGE FROM BARRELS, GASKS, 86c.

Application filed January 7, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that 1, WILLIAM MILLER, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at VVestfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Process of Recovering Soakage from Barrels, Casks, &c., of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an improved process of recovering soakage from barrels, casks, etc.

The object of the present invention is to enable barrels, which have contained lard, oils, and other similar substances to be more rapidly and thoroughly cleaned and the soakage or substances absorbed by the wood extracted and recovered without injuring the barrels and casks and with simple and inexpensive apparatus.

In the drawing :Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, illustrating an apparatus for conveniently practicing my improved process. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing.

In carrying out the improved process the barrels 1 are pierced at their ends to provide small vent holes 2, which may be conveniently plugged after the barrels have been removed from the box or casing 3 in which they are subjected to a steam bath, as hereinafter fully explained. The barrels are placed in the steaming box with the bung holes open, and when the steam is turned on to subject the barrels to a steam bath, the vent holes permit the air within the barrels to escape as the steam enters the bung holes, whereby the barrels will be thoroughly subjected both interiorly and exteriorly to the action of the steam. By providing vent holes in this manner, I am able to introduce the steam into the barrels and casks without employing expensive apparatus and without the labor and inconvenience necessarily incident to the employment of an apparatus having separate steam discharge pipes, designed to be inserted in each of the barrels operated on.

The steaming box or casing, which may be constructed of wood, metal, cement, or other suitable material, is steam tight and'may be of any desired dimensions to receive the required number of barrels and casks, and it is preferably oblong being provided at one Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

Serial No. 471,189.

end with a hinged door 4: extending from the top to the bottom of the steaming box and entirely across the same, and adapted to be opened to permit the barrels to be placed in and removed from the steaming box.

The steaming box is equipped with a floor or bottom 5, having a central longitudinal trough or gutter 6 and presenting oppositely inclined upper faces 7 at the sides of the trough or gutter. The side portions or faces 7 of the bottom extend downwardly and outwardly from the trough or gutter to the side walls of the steaming box, and they also slant toward the rear corners in order to direct the condensed steam to drain pipes 8, having suitable valves 9, arranged exteriorly of the steaming box. The trough or gutter receives a movable pan or receptacle 10, which is placed beneath the barrels to receive the substances extracted therefrom. The barrels are placed in a tier, bung holes down, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing, and as the pan or receptacle is of a length to extend beneath the entire charge or series of barrels operated on, the

substance extracted from them will be caught as it runs from the, bung holes. The bilge of the barrels spaces them at the trough so that the steam is enabled to readily enter the bung holes and the barrels are thoroughly subjected to the action of the steam bath interiorly and exteriorly. The steam is introduced into the steaming box through a steam pipe 11, piercing the top of the box at the center thereof and equipped with a suitable valve, but the steam may be introduced at any other point, as will be readily understood. After the steam is turned on, the barrels are subjected to a steam bath for about thirty minutes, which has been found ample to cause oil to exude from the wood and run out of the bung holes of the barrels. The steam is then turned off and the door is opened to permit the uncondensed steam to escape. The barrels are then taken out of the steaming box and the pan and its contents are removed after each operation.

No claim is made in the present application broadly for recovering soakage from barrels, casks, etc., by forming separate openings in each barrel to permit the en trance of warm air and the escape of cold air, and subjecting the barrels to the action of a heating medium in a closed receptacle, as such a claim is embraced in my copending application, filed Sept. 7, 1909, Serial No. 516,387.

The steam acts on the barrels and casks both interiorly and exteriorly and the soakage, which is considerable, is not only recovered, but the barrels and casks are thoroughly cleaned.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The herein described process of cleaning barrels, casks, etc, and of recovering soakage therefrom consisting in forming separate openings in the barrels to permit the entrance of steam and the escape of air, arranging the barrels bung holes down in a closed receptacle, and subjecting the barrels to a steam bath, whereby the soakage is caused to exude from the Wood and run from the bung holes of the barrels.

2. The herein described process of cleaning barrels, casks, etc, and of recovering soakage therefrom consisting in piercing the barrels to provide vent holes for the escape of air, arranging the barrels bung holes down in a tier in a closed box over a receptacle, and subjecting the barrels to a steam bath, whereby the soakage is caused to exude from the Wood and run from the bung holes of the barrels into the said receptacle.

3. The herein described process of cleaning barrels, casks, etc, and of recovering soakage therefrom consisting in piercing the ends of the barrels to provide vent holes, arranging the barrels bung holes down in a tier within a closed receptacle, subjecting the barrels interiorly and exteriorly to the action of the steam, whereby the soakage is caused to exude from the Wood and run from the bung holes of the barrels, and collecting the substance obtained from the barrels as the same runs from the bung holes.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

RICHARD BONNER. 

